Table



Feb. 21, 1933.

C. J. MILLER TABLE Original Filed 0ct.-9, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet l[rm/alder C. J. MILLER Feb. 21, 1933.

TABLE Qriginal Filed Oct. 9, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 l I MW A oIrNEm Feb.21 1933.

c. J. MILLER TABLE Original Filed 00*... 9, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fla. 7

Feb. 21, 1933. Q MlLLER 1,898,307

TABLE Original Filed Oct. 9, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 [raven/02 CHARL:JfM/um ii V 23 A F1612 2 mm AT'roRNEYS Patented Feb. 21, 1933 CHARLESJ. MILLER, OF'MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA TABLE Application filed October 9,1925, Serial No. 81,493. Renewed June 2, 1932.

My invention relates to a folding type of table adapted for usegenerally as a table,

but particularly designed for kitchens, small dining rooms, breakfastnooks, or wherever it may be desired to conserve floor space.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a tableof simplecompact construction which without detracting in any way from thegeneral appearance of the furniture in the room, will be capable offolding into a comparatively small space and be unfolded easily andquickly when desired for use.

A further object is to provide a folding table that is adapted whenfolded to receive or contain or have hinged to the legs of the table,the seats or settles used around it when unfolded.

A further object is to provide a simple inexpensive, automatic means forbracing the hinged sections of the table when unfolded and holding themrigidly in their expanded or open position.

A further object is to provide means becoming automatically operativewhen the table is folded to serve as legs to hold the folded section ofthe table from touching the floor when in an upright position.

A further object is to provide a folding table of solid constructionwith provision for automatically bracing all of the joints andparticularly in providing edge rails in such form and arrangement toallow the folding features of the table, while at the same time bracingthe top sections against splitting or warping.

A further object is to provide a table embodying a folding principle ofsuch a nature that the table, or table and seats, may be of a single ordouble construction according to the space where it is to be used andthe requirements of such use.

Other objects of the invention will appear M from the following detaileddescription.

The invention consists generally in various constructions andcombinations all as hereinafter described and particularly pointed outthe claims.

in the accompanying drawings forming Us part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a single fold type of table in an openposition with the seats or settles ready for use;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the seats in a nested positionbeneath the table;

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the table and seats folded;

Figure 4 is a view of the under side of the table top showing the meansfor locking it in its expanded or open position;

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line 55 of Figure l;

Figure 6 is a simla-r view showing the table partially folded;

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view showing the table completelyfolded and the position assumed by the locking devices when the table isin this position;

Figure 8 is a sectional view on the line 88 of Fi ure 4.;

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view showing the means employed forsupporting one side of the folded table;

Figure 10 is a perspective view showing a type of the table without thesettles or seats in an open or unfolded position;

Figure 11 is a vertical sectional view showing the type of tableillustrated in Figure 10 in its folded or closed position;

Figure 12 is an end view of a table and seats having a double fold orone having folding sections on each side of a. middle stationarysection;

Figure 13 is a similar view showing the same type of table without theuse of the seats or settles.

In the drawings,2 represents a section of a table top having supportinglegs 3 and braced and strengthened on the under side in the usualmanner. 4: is an extension of the top section 2 having one edge hingedthereto as at 5 and adapted when unfolded to form a horizontalcontinuation of the top 2 and when folded to drop down to a verticalposition parallel substantially'with the legs 3. The top section 4 haslegs .6 hinged to the under side of the section t at 7, and joined together at their upper ends by an end rail 8 adapting the legs 6 to befolded inwardly and upwardly against the under side of the table t op orrails when the table is to be closed and downwardly to a verticalposition when the table is opened. As shown in. Figure l, the edge rail8 opposite the rail 8 is preferably longer than the rail 8 and the siderails 8" and 8 of the two sections 2 and i are'oi'lset or out ofalignment with each other so that the sections can be folded wiihoutinterference of the opposite rails, but at the same tim these ails willperform their functions of bracing and strengthening the table sectionsand preventing them from warping or twisting. l

the top section 2 and a similar blocl: or bar 10 is correspondinglysecured to the underside of the top section f opposite the block 9 onthe other side of the hinges 5 therefrom. A brace 11, preferably flshaped in form, is hinged at 12 to the bar 8 and has a beveled inner end13 provided with an orifice 14 to receive a pin 15 in the block 10 forthe purpose of locking the legs 6 in their unfolded position. A bar 16is hinged at 1"? to the block 9 and has an orifice 18 to receive a pin19 mounted in the block 10 and adapted to hold the table sections 2 andlin their aligned open position, bridging the hinges 5 between thesections while the shaped brace 11 bridges the hinges 7 between the legs6 and the table top 4:.

A tension member 20 composed preferably of spring wire has a looped endpassing through a slot 21 in the bar 16 and engaging the block 10bearing on the end of the bar 16 and normally holding it in itsinterlocking engagement with the pin 19 with a yielding pressure. Theother end of the spring member 20 engages a stud 2O in the block 10 nearhe brace 11 and bearing on the of the brace serves to hold it inyielding engagement with the pin 15. Thus I utilize one spring forlocking both of the hinged braces of the table. The bar 16 has a beveledend 22 and a lever 23 is loosely mounted on a pin 24- and projectsthrough an opening 25 under the top of the section l to a position whereit can be most conveniently grasped to release the bar 16. The inner endof t iis lever bears on the block 10 and also contacts with the brace 11so that when the outer end of the lever is raised the brace 11 will bedisengaged from the pin 15 thereby releasing o unlocking the legs 6, andallowing them to folded inwardly and upwardly against the table top.

en agement will operate to move the end of the bar downwardly anddisengage from the pin 19, thereby releasing the lock between the two sctions of ihe table and allowing the section 4 to swing down to averti'nl position parallel substantially wi h the legs 3. This movementis clearly iili .ted in Figures 5 and 6; Figure 5 show the unfoldedposition of arts with a se-tions and the in their locked positi n whileFigure 6 shows the legs released or unlocked and the sliding brace 11 inthe act of disengaging the bar from the pin 19 to allow the section t tobe swung down to a vertical position as shown in Figure 7.

To fold the table, it will only be necessary therefore, for the user toraise the lever 23 which trips the brace 11 and th act of closing orfolding the legs 6 will operate anton'iatically to unlock the 16 and alow the top sections to be folded and he table closed.

Upon opening the table, the withdrawal of the brace 11 by the loweringof the legs lease the bar 16 and allow the tension of the ,pring 20 tomove the bar to its loch- )osit1on thereby holding the two top 1 ins inperfec alignment. [it the same time, when the legs reach a verticalpositi n the brace 11 will engage the pin 15 and au omatically lockeduntil such time s again disengaged by the movement of To provide asupport for one side of the table when folded and prevent the table topfrom contacting with the floor, I provide supplementary legs 26 hingedat 26 to the top ection 2 and having their free ends proecting throughopenings 27 in the end rail f the section d. These legs are pivoted offhe center of or eccentric to the pivots of be section and consequentlywhen the top :ection 4: is down to the vertical position as .hown inFigure 5), the legs 26 will be pros jected or protruded through theopenings 27 to a point beyond the edge of the top seclit n the .tion andthe supplementary legs are retracted and aid in bracing and supportingthe table top.

The legs 3 are provided with hinged counections 28 *etwecn them andseats or settles 29 and 29 these hinged connections comprising pin andeye members which adapt the seats to be raised with the table when thetop section is lifted or the seats may be lifted independently of thetable top and readily disengaged from the legs. The hinged connectionsadapt the seats to be swung inwardly under the table top and one sectionis preferably a little longer and higher than the other so that theywill assume a nested position as indicated in Figure 2 when folded underthe table top. When the table has been unfolded it will only benecessary to reach under the top and swing the seats outwardly on theirhinges to a usable position. I

Figure 3 illustrates how compactly the table may be folded with theseats occupying the space under the narrower table top section and thewider section forming in effect a leaf depending vertically in front ofthe table and concealing the space beneath the top and the hinged seats.These top sections may of course be made of suitable ma terial that willtake a high polish or finish and even when the table is folded themechanism employed in the folding operation will be concealed and thetable will form an ornamental piece of furniture in the room.

The table shown in Figures 1 to a has a 'ider top section 2 adapting itto receive the nested seats or ettles. In some instances I may omitthese seats and in that case, the table with a narrower top section 2shown in Figure 10, may be provided, the other elements of the tablebeing substantially as heretofore described with reference to the tableof Figure 1. This construction, with the narrower top section, permits amore compact folding of the table as illustrated in Figure 11 where thesection 4 swung down to a vertical position is close to the legs 3 ofthe section 2 and the table may of course in this form be put in asmaller space than where provision is made for the nesting of the seatsunder the table top.

In Figure 12, I have shown a table corresponding to the one illustratedin Figure 1 except that it has a double fold construction, a normallystationary middle top section 30 being provided with centrally arrangedlegs 3 and end sections 4 on each side corresponding to the sectionpreviously described eXcept that instead of having one section on oneside of the stationary top section, provision is made for a hingedsection on both sides, thus practically doubling the surface area of thetable top when unfolded. Provision is here made for the nesting of twopair of seats, one pair of seats on each side of the legs 3 instead ofone pair of nested seats as shown in Figure 3. The means for locking thehinged sections in their open or unfolded positions is substantially thesame as described with reference to previous ures and furtherillustration or description herein is unnecessary.

In Figure 13, a double folding table is shown in which the middle orstationary section 30, is narrower to adapt the table for use withoutthe nesting seats, the hinged end sections being thereby brought closeto the central legs 3* during the folding operation.

The form of table illustrated in Figure 13 will effect an economy inspace of fiVGSlXt-hS of the areav required for this type of table whenin its open position. The table sections may of course be made of anysuitable material and finished in any preferred manner, and in variousWays the details of con struction herein shown and described may bemodified and still be within the scope of my invention. 7

It will be noted that the bars'16 and 26 both lie across the hinge lineand are pivoted on the same side of the hinge line and respectively actas bracers to resist buckling action at the hinge line either upwardlyor downwardly.

I claim as my invention:

1. A table comprising sections hinged together for relative movement andhaving supporting legs, the legs of one section being adapt-ed to swinginwardly and allow that section to t"rn down to a vertical positionparallel substantially with the legs of the other section, andsupplemental legs slidably arranged and connected to one of the sectionsin a manner tobe automatically projected to supporting position as theswinging section travels to folded position.

2. A table comprising sections hinged together for relative movement andhaving supporting legs, the legs of one section be ing adapted to foldto allow that section to turn down to a vertical position, and meansnormally retracted but adapted to be projected by the turning down ofsaid section to contact with the floor and cooperate with said sectionto support that side of the table when folded.

3. A table comprising sections hinged together for relative movement andhaving supporting legs, the legs of one section being adapted to foldand allow that section to swing down to a vertical position, and barsmounted to reciprocate in said swinging section and pivoted eccentric tothe axis of said section whereby when said section is swung to itsvertical position, said bars will be projected to contact with the floorand cooperate with said swinging section to support the table.

i. A table comprising top sections hinged together for relative movementand having supporting legs, the legs of one section being pivoted, meanshinged to the legs, and yield ably urged toward one of the sections, andadapted for latched engagement therewith for locking said pivoted legsin an upright supporting position when the table is open, and a leveradapted to be manually operated for unlatching said locking means toallow the folding of said legs and table.

5. A table comprising top sections hinged one upon the other, a bar,adapted for looking said sections in horizontal alignment, legs for onesection pivoted thereon, a brace movable with the legs and adapted forlatch engagement with one of the sections for holding said legs in theirupright supporting position, a tension member for holding both bar andbrace in their locking position, and said brace being adapted whenreleased and moved by the legs to disengage said bar, from its lockingposition.

6. A table comprising top sections relatively hinged andhavingsupporting legs, one pair of legs being pivotally mounted, a bar pivotedto one of the sections, and adapted for locking said top sections inhorizontal alignment, a brace for locking said pivoted legs in avertical position, means yieldably urging said bar and brace to lockingposition, a manually operated means for releasing said brace, and saidbrace being adapted when said pivoted legs are folded to engage said barand move it to its release position.

7. A device of the class described comprising two hinged together topsections, one section having legs pivoted to fold therebeneath, a bracehinged to the foldable legs and detachably engageable with one sectionto latch the legs in supporting position, a bar hinged to one of thesections and detachably cngageable to secure the sections intableforming position, a resilient element connected to one of thesections and yieldably engaging brace and bar in a manner to urge themto latch position, the brace being engeable with the bar to unlatch thesame, as

the legs are folded.

8. A device of the class described comprising two legged, hingedtogether, top sections, first and second, the second having legs pivotedto fold therebeneath, a hinged brace movable with the legs anddetachably engageable with said second section to latch the legs insupporting position, a bar hinged to the first section and detachablyengageable with the second to secure the sections in table-formingposition, a resilient element connected to one of the sections and yieldably engaging brace and bar in a manner to urge them to latch position,the brace being second section engageable by the bar to lock thesections in alined open position, a tension member arranged toyieldingly urge the brace and bar to latch position, and a lever movablyattached to one of the sections and having a portion arranged forreleasing the bar against the action of the tension member, the bracebeing wedgingly engageable with the bar to unlatch. the same as the legsare swun from supporting position.

10. A device of the class described comprising two-legged hingedtogether top sections, first and second, the second having legs pivotedto fold therebeneath, a hinged brace movable with the legs anddetachably engageable with the second section to latch the legs insupporting position, a bar hinged to the first section and detachablyengageable with the second to secure the sections in table formingposition, the brace being engageable with the bar to unlatch the same asthe legs are folded.

11. A device of the class described comprising two legged hingedtogetner tog sections, first and second, the second having legs pivotedto fold therebeneath, a hinged brace movable with the legs anddetachably engageable with the second section to latch the legs insupporting position, a bar hinged to the first section and detachablyengageable with the second to secure the sections in table-formingposition, the brace being engageable with the bar to unlatch the same asthe legs are folded, and means operable by a simple lifting motion, tounlatch the brace.

12. A table comprising sections hinged together and having supportinglegs, the legs of one section being adapted to swing inwardly and allowthat section to turn down to a vertical position, supplemental legsarranged across the hinge line of the table sec tions and adapted to beautomatically projected to supporting position as the swinging sectiontravels to folded position. and bar hinged to one section and detachablyengageable with the other section and also arranged across the hingingline, said supplemental legs, and said bar acting respectively toprevent hinging movement at the hinge line in opposite directions.

13. A device of the class described comprising two leggedhinged-together top sections, first and second, the second having legspivoted to fold therebeneath toward the other legs across the hingeline, a hinged brace movable with the legs and detachably engageablewith the second section to latch the legs in supporting position, and abar hinged to the first section detachably en able with. ti 0 second tosecure the sections in table-formig position.

14. A four-legged table consisting of, a top composed of two Ling-edtogether sections first and second, the length of the second measured indirection perpendicular to the hinging axis being substantially equal tothe over-all height of the table, and having a pair of legs hingedthereto, the first section having two fixed legs, the second sectionbeing adapted to be swung toward the fixed legs, and to a verticalposition, and the hinged legs being adapted to be swung to a positionparallel to the section to which they are at tached when that section isin vertical position, means adapted to secure the top sections incoplanar table-forming relation, and means for locking the hinged legsin tablesupporting position.

15. A four-legged table consisting of, a top composed of twohinged-together sections first and second, the length of the secondmeasured in direction perpendicular to the hinging axis beingsubstantially equal to the over-all height of the table, and having apair of legs hinged thereto, the first section having two fixed legs andbeing shorter than the second section in direction perpendicular to thehinging axis, the second section being adapted to be swung toward thefixed legs and to a vertical position, and the hinged legs being adaptedto be swung to a position parallel to the section to which they areattached when that section is in vertical position, means adapted tosecure the top sections in coplanar table-forming relation, and meansfor locking the hinged legs in table-supporting position.

16. A four-legged table consisting of, a top composed of twohinged-together sections first and second, the length of the secondmeasured in direction perpendicular to' the hinging axis beingsubstantially equal to the over-all height of the table, and having apair of legs hinged thereto and adapted to swing in unison, the firstsection having two fixed legs, the second section being adapted to beswung toward the fixed legs, and to .a vertical position, and the hingedlegs being adapted to be swung to a position parallel to the section towhich they are attached when that section is in vertical position, meansadapted to secure the top sections in coplanar table-forming relation,and means for looking the hinged legs in table-supporting position.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 5th day of October1925.

CHARLES J. MILLER.

